Those Pesky Pirates

The last time I passed through Pittsburgh I went right past a Pirates game. I was traveling on business and was pressed for time. At the time the Pittsburgh Pirates weren’t really worth going to see. That’s rough I know, but for a team that hadn’t smelled a division title or the playoffs in recent memory, it was easy to keep rolling down the highway.

But things are different now and the Pittsburgh Pirates have become relevant in Major League Baseball. As you read this the Pittsburgh Pirates are running at the top of the National League central. This pesky team is winning new fans by….winning, and are on pace to almost double their win total from last season. To those Pirates fans that have endured almost two decades without a winning season, it’s a revelation.

The stadium is beginning to fill up and suddenly Pittsburgh Pirates tickets are being used for something other than giveaways at garage sales. That’s not to say that the Pirates have become a dominant team. Their offense is on the weak side still, and the lack of pitching depth could come back to haunt them. But the Pittsburgh Pirates have been playing good defense and seem to have a knack for finding the right hit at the right time. The next time I’m in Pittsburgh, I believe I’ll stop.